


Alternatively

by Shmooshedbreadsticks



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Robin: Son of Batman (Comics)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-07-29 02:37:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20074753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shmooshedbreadsticks/pseuds/Shmooshedbreadsticks
Summary: My take on the whole “Who is Damian’s Father” thing that went on a while ago





	Alternatively

Damian's POV:

I look up from my sketch at the people around me. I decided to stay at the Titian's Tower for a while for thee reasons. One, I don't mind being around the people here. Two, Grayson is here. Three, Father has been- distant since Slade shower up with papers saying I could be his son. Needless to say, sketching here is a nice distraction.

In the chair across from me is Raven reading a book. Beast boy and Blue Beetle are playing video games while taking up the large couch with their copious amounts of snacks. Grayson was sitting at the counter as Starfire made herself some tea. Everything was perfect until I heard a floor board creak in the hallway.

"*TT* I should have known one day of peace and quiet was too much to ask for." I groaned as I put my sketchbook down. Everyone looked at me questioninly, but I just gestured to the hallway where Slade entered.

In an instant, Starfire, Raven, and Blue Beetle jumped into defensive positions. Beast Boy whined and took his sweet time putting his controller down. Grayson just groaned and buried his head in his hands. I am sick of this by now and just remained in my seat.

"Im not here to fight" he said holding his hands in surrender. Everyone looked around, only slightly lowering their guard since neither Grayson nor myself were in defensive positions.

"Of course not," I begin. "You are only here to inconvenience everyone here for something that does not make a difference either way. Correct?" I challenge as everyone's eyes fall on me, mostly in confusion.

"Son of a bitch" he muttered with an annoyed sigh.

"Anyone want to catch me up?" Beast Boy interjects.

"You know, I'll just find out about this when the shit hits the fan. Don't tell me. Don't tell Bruce. Don't kill each other." Grayson complains as he leaves the room. To be fair, he has a lot to deal with at the moment.

"Listen, I-" Slade started before Beast Boy interrupted again.

"Soooo, since Dick left can we leave?" Slade was visibly more irritated but motions for anyone who wants to leave to leave.

"Good luck smol and angsty" Beast Boy calls as he walks out with everyone else.

"If there's one more goddamn interruption I will shoot someone" Slade warns. 

"Be ready to shoot someone then." I say with a shrug. "Anyways what were you here to irritate me with?"

"I was looking at the papers again. The ones that say you're Bruce's son and the ones that say you're my son. That's when I noticed there was a big difference between them." He explained, clearly waiting for me to ask the obligatory 'what?'.

"You mean other than the fact that one of them is faked?" I asked dryly instead.

"No, it was the fact that neither of them was a fake." He said making me freeze. 

"That's impossible" I manage.

"Not if the DNA was from two different kids." He pointed out. "But you already knew that didn't you?"

"How could I possibly know that?" I defended.

"I don't know, but you've known this whole time. When I suggested it, you weren't confused or shocked. You froze like someone who was caught in a lie." He accused. I mean, he's right but still.

"What do you want?" I ask coldly.

"Explain. You aren't my kid, but Talia did have my kid." 

"*TT* I'd rather have to crawl my way out of the Lazarus Pit again." I challenged.

"Listen kid, I'm not going to ask nicely again." He said gesturing at his weapons.

"And I am not going to stay here." I said before walking to the Zeta Tubes and heading to the Watchtower where I know he can't go.

I realize that the only people here right now are Cyborg, who is busy at the computer, and Green Arrow, who is training. I ignore them both, grabbing my spare sketchbook before finding a comfy place to not think about Slade. He knows. 

Fuck  
————————————————————

Bruce's POV:

As I'm talking to Comissioner Gordon on the roof of the GCPD, I hear a movement behind me. Turning I see Slade approaching us.

"We need to talk." He says matter-of-factly to me.!I turn to Gordon, silently asking him if he minds giving us a minute.

"I don't even want to know." He says as he leaves.

"What is it?" I question. 

"Where's your brat?" He asks bluntly.

"That's none of your business? What do you want?" I deflect.

"You have no idea where he is." He states instead of asks.

"He's managed to avoid anyone who would willingly tell me where he is." I admit.

"Well you need to find him because he has a lot of explaining to do." He says handing me a file. I quickly look it over.

"These are the paternity tests. What about them?" 

"Look closely." He says pointing out an extremely minor difference in a few chromosomes. Then I see it.

"Oh my God." I breath. "These aren't both Damian's. That means-" 

"That somewhere, I also have a son with Talia. Damian knows about him and refused to tell me anything about him." He explains. That means Slade's son is Damian's half-brother. 

"Why not ask Talia?" I ask. At least she would be easier to find at this point.

"I don't believe a word out of her mouth. Or your son's for the matter, but I'm more inclined to believe him than her."

"I'll see if I can find him, but he has to tell you willingly. No weapons involved." I agree, and he scoffs.

"I'm not the one you should be saying that too."  
————————————————————

No POV:

After a couple hours of searching all places he usually goes when he's upset, Bruce finds Damian and tells Slade to meet him there. Damian has safehouses in various locations in various countries (a habit he learned from his time with the League), but he also has some that serve only to be a place he can go and relax.

Bruce and Slade enter to find Damian on the couch curled up with a blanket, tea, and a sketchbook. Both men eye each other, neither having seen him so comfortable with his guard down.

"It's about time." He complained without looking up from his sketch. "Sit down." He ordered and both obeyed.

"You going to explain?" Slade asks skeptically.

"Maybe. Ask a question and I might answer it." Damian vaguely said, still engrossed in his sketchbook.

"Do I have a son with Talia that isn't you?" Slade questioned, getting directly to the point, making Damian's pencil halt for a moment, but he still did not look up.

"Had" He said resuming his sketching. "You had a son with Talia." In that moment you could have heard a pin drop.

"Had?" Bruce chimed in.

"His name was Amir." Was the only reply Damian gave.

"Listen kid, just tell me what the fuck happened." Slade demanded growing impatient, making Damian look up for once.

"You know I do not have to answer any of your questions. This is a courtesy to you so you would leave me alone." He warned.

"Kid I don't have time for this. Just tell me what happened to I can blame Talia, leave, and we can all get on with our lives." Slade threatened.

"Or you could skip to the part where you blame Talia and leave." Damian countered turning his attention back to his sketches. 

"What the fuck could you possibly be sketching anyways that's more important right now?" Slade snapped, clearly done with the whole situation.

"It helps him calm down instead of stabbing things when he's stressed." Bruce interjects hesitatingly, earning him a glare from Damian that clearly says 'why the hell would you tell him that?'.

"For the love of-" Slade complains as he takes the sketchbook from Damian and tosses it face up on the table. Damian lets out an indignant "Hey" at the man's actions. 

"Would you pay-" Slade starts to yell but Bruce cuts him off.

"Do you have any pictures of you and Amir?" He asks, trying to deescalate the situation. Damian nods and leave the room to go get some.

"What are you-?" 

"Trust me on this." Bruce interrupts again.

When Damian returns, he shows them each a picture of him and Amri from what appears to be a few years ago. Damian may look more like his Father, but Amir looks more like Talia, although there is also no doubt he is Slade's kid. 

"I think I know what happened to Amir." Bruce said after seeing the picture and recognizing the face. He motioned towards Damian's sketchbook to prove his point. Both Damian and Slade made a move for the book, but Slade was faster. 

He opened the book to see a very detailed sketch of what is clearly Amir. This Amir was different. The Amir with Damian in the photo looked happy, like he enjoyed hanging out with Damian. The Amir in the sketch was the opposite. His eyes had no life in them at all, and the numerous cuts littered on his wrist only confirmed it. It made everyone want to throw up.

"Why wasn't he put in the Lazerus Pit?" Slade asked quietly.

"The Pit can only restore so much." Damian explained on the verge of tears, but he wasn't about to let it show. "A good shot to the head with an explosive bullet can't be fixed."

"Why?" Bruce asked beaming the silence that seemed to fall frequently.

"*TT* You try being raised by the League." He commented bitterly, concerning Bruce, but he chose to address that later.

"So it was because of Talia?" Slade asked in a dangerous voice. 

"Mostly" Damian made thé so-so motion with his hand.

"Then I know who I'm going to pay a visit to." He said grabbing one of Damian's katanas that was by the door and leaving, clearly shook up by the new information.

"Damian I-" Bruce began, but he saw Damian was already drawing again and knew he would be tuned out. For now, he just stayed there until Damian needed him.


End file.
